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U.S.U.R.A.

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(Redirected from Usura)
U.S.U.R.A.
OriginBrescia, Italy
GenresEurodance
Years active1991–1998
LabelsDeconstruction
Past membersClaudio Varola
Michele Comis
Elisa Spreafichi

U.S.U.R.A. was an Italian electronic dance music group active from 1991-1998, best known for their crossover hit "Open Your Mind".[1]

History

[edit]

U.S.U.R.A. was started by Time Records owner Giacomo Maiolini, producers Walter Cremonini and Alessandro Gilardi. The name is derived from that of Maiolini's mother, Ursula. The group is best known for the 1992-93 hit single (and later album) "Open Your Mind", featuring a dialog sample from the film Total Recall, as well as a vocal sound from "Solid" by Ashford & Simpson, and incorporating sampled elements from the Simple Minds song "New Gold Dream" from 1982.[2] Its video morphs the faces of Ronald Reagan, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, Ian Paisley, Margaret Thatcher, Richard Nixon, Mary Whitehouse, and Joe McCarthy.

Discography

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Studio albums

[edit]
Title Album details Peak chart positions
AUS
[3]
Open Your Mind 218

Singles

[edit]
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
ITA
[4]
AUS
[3]
AUT
[5]
BEL
[6]
FIN
[7]
GER
[8]
IRE
[9]
NED
[10]
SWE
[11]
SWI
[12]
UK
[13]
1993 "Open Your Mind" 4 29 3 4 6 8 6 5 19 3 7 Open Your Mind
"Sweat" 2 48 9 20 4 10 22 29
"Tear It Up" 6 99 3
1994 "Drive Me Crazy" 10 11 30
1995 "Infinity" 3 single releases only
"The Spaceman" 4
1996 "Flying High" 24
"In the Bush" 20
1997 "Open Your Mind '97" 11 34 64 21
1998 "Trance Emotions"
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

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  1. ^ See New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84)
  2. ^ "Open Your Mind by U.S.U.R.A. On WhoSampled". WhoSampled.
  3. ^ a b Australian chart peaks:
  4. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 28, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "U.S.U.R.A.". To find "Open Your Mind '97", search "Usura".
  5. ^ "Austrian Singles". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  6. ^ "Belgian (Flanders) Singles". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  7. ^ "Sisältää hitin: Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1961" (in Finnish). Sisältää Hitin - Suomen listalevyt (Timo Pennanen). Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  8. ^ German Singles:
  9. ^ "Irish Singles". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  10. ^ "Netherlands Singles". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  11. ^ "Swedish Albums". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  12. ^ "Swiss Singles". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  13. ^ "UK Singles". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-07-17.